Blood and Thunder
by thetyger
Summary: Jane hasn't answered his phone in hours, and Lisbon is beginning to worry. But when a strange and unnerving video is aired on TV, the team and Jane are put in serious danger - this is my first ever fan fiction, so please read!
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys, this is my first ever fan fiction story, so please review with any comments or suggestions.**

**Thanks for reading!**

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><p><strong>Blood and Thunder<strong>

_**Chapter 1**_

Rigsby, Van Pelt and Cho pulled up at the side of a road surrounded by bushy shrubs. It was midmorning, and the sound of rushing water drifted up from the river below, flowing peacefully. It was a fairly isolated area, not many shops or housing around. They climbed of the car and made their way down the bank to where Lisbon was inspecting the body.

"Hey" she greeted them, before updating them on the details of the new case.

"Male, about 25 years of age, name's James Hartley" she told them as they arrived beside her.

"Looks like a blow to the head from behind, though it doesn't look recent. Maybe two days old." Rigsby added, after taking a closer look at the guy's remains. "That's pretty much all I can tell".

"The local cops had a call a few hours ago, came down and found him here. They thought we'd be better equipped to deal with him than they are" Lisbon said to her team, then turned to the local cops and forensics watching nearby.

"We're done with him, he's all yours" she informed them, before addressing her team once again.

"Van Pelt, you take a look at his records. See if he's on missing persons. His truck's parked just down the road. Rigsby and Cho, you guys go and see if you can find anything interesting there". Lisbon went to walk away, but then turned, as though on an after thought.

"Have any of you guys seen Jane? He should be here by now, I called him an hour ago". They shook there heads.

"Well, call me if you hear from him. I'm going to speak to the lady who found Hartley".

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><p>An hour later, back at CBI headquarters, Jane still hadn't shown. Lisbon was beginning to worry, but they had a case to solve. Besides, Jane hadn't answered his phone before. It wasn't unusual.<p>

"OK, Elizabeth Clark found Hartley at ten this morning while she was walking her dog along the river. Her dog wouldn't stay away from the bushes, so she went over to see why and found the body." she informed her team. "She called 911 straight away".

'I looked, and Hartley was on missing persons" Van Pelt said, "He lives with his girlfriend, Chelsea Flinders, not too far from here".

Lisbon turned to Rigsby and Cho.

"We looked at the car, no signs of any force. He probably got out of his car and walked down to the river, and was attacked from there". Cho announced.

"That seems likely" Lisbon agreed. "See what else you can find out about him you two", she said with a glance to Van Pelt and Rigsby. "Cho, you and I'll go and talk to the girlfriend".

"Any sign of Jane?" Van Pelt asked, and they all turned to Lisbon. She could see they were all just as worried as she was.

"I'm sure he's fine, he's probably just forgotten to turn his phone on", she said, although she knew they weren't convinced. But they had to continue this case, so she had no choice but the make them work. Hopefully it would keep their minds off Jane's strange disappearance.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

"When was the last time you saw James?" Cho asked with his usual lack of emotion.

He and Lisbon sat across from Chelsea at the apartment she had shared with her boyfriend. Her eyes were red from crying, but they were dry, and she answered without sobbing.

"Two days ago. He left for a walk at about nine in the morning. He liked to drive down to the river and then walk along the banks, said it was refreshing. I knew something had happened to him when he wasn't back for lunch. I called him, but he didn't answer. So I drove down myself. I walked for about an hour, but didn't find him. That's when I called missing persons".

"What was he like? Did he have any enemies? People who might want him dead?" Cho questioned.

"No, he was a lovely guy. He had loads of friends. Everybody loved him. He was always so happy and cheerful".

"What about at work? What did he do for a living?"

"He worked at the café not far from here. Everyone there liked him too, as far as I know. He enjoyed his work and did a good job. He always wanted please people".

"Did you see his truck when you went to find him?" Lisbon asked.

"No, I parked at the bridge and walked from there. I couldn't see it, I didn't even think to look for it because I was so worried".

Tears began to well up in her eyes as she spoke, and Lisbon had decided it was an appropriate time to leave. They had found out everything they needed, so they left the grieving girl and returned to the car.

"What do you think of her?" Lisbon asked Cho as they drove towards CBI.

"She seems sincere enough, I doubt she did it" he replied.

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><p>When they got back to CBI, Lisbon left Cho to tell Rigsby and Van Pelt what they had found out. She went straight to her office. Jane definitely should have called her by now. She couldn't fool herself for much longer that he was fine. She leant back in her chair and stared at her phone, willing it to ring. There was a knock at the door and Rigsby's face peered around.<p>

"What's wrong?" She asked, seeing the concerned look on his face.

"You'd better come see this, quick", he replied as he led her out of the room and over to the TV.

Van Pelt, Cho and Wainwright were standing in front of the TV, but as they heard Lisbon and Rigsby enter they moved to the side for their boss to see.

Lisbon let out a gasp of surprise and shock, as she saw Jane staring back at her from the screen. He was tied to a chair, with a gun just visible pressed against the back of his head. He was reading from a piece of paper sitting on his lap, his eyes glancing sadly from it to the camera filming him.

"Red John is a cowardly little man". Jane paused, and the gun behind him nudged him firmly. He continued, although it was clear he was reluctant. "I don't how he hasn't been caught yet, it must just be luck. He is stupid, small and insignificant. I have no doubt that he will be caught soon. Caught and killed".

The screen then went black. Lisbon stood in shocked silence.

"I'll call the TV station, what that was about" said Cho, already grabbing the phone.

"OK" Lisbon said in a quite voice as she sat down in one of the nearby chairs. No one spoke as they all watched Cho. He spoke briefly, then hung up.

"The station said they found a CD at the door to one of their studios. It came with a note saying they must air it immediately, without watching it first, or the whole place would be blown up. They don't know where it came from, and didn't want to risk it".

There was another silence as the team took in the information.

"All of you in my office now". Wainwright said, so they followed him into the room.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

"You are all off the Hartley case, and you must not leave the building. Actually, you're not to leave this room". He said once they were all just barely in the door.

"What are you talking about?" Lisbon asked, slightly frustrated and completely confused.

"Don't you understand? Last time Jane insulted Red John on TV what happened?" asked Wainwright, unimpressed by Lisbon's lack of thought.

"He killed his family", said Cho.

"Exactly. Last time Jane said this sort of thing on TV the people he was closest to were killed. Now, he has no immediate family. He isn't in a relationship, and he has no other close family members. Who does that leave?" asked Wainwright, looking around.

"Come on", said Rigsby, "you can't seriously be suggesting that whoever kidnapped Jane is trying to get at us?"

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting" replied Wainwright. "Someone has a problem with one of you or the CBI in general, and rather than trying to get at you themselves, they think it would be easier to just organize Red John to their dirty work for them. Lisbon, you've said yourself that your team is Jane's family. He has no one else. The only explanation for kidnapping Jane and filming him insulting Red John again is to get at you and this team."

Realization sunk in, and no one could think of any argument. It was a logical conclusion.

"What about Jane?" asked Van Pelt. "What do you think is going to happen to him?"

"The kidnappers don't want Jane, or else they would have just killed him. I'm sure he's fine" Lisbon reassured her as Wainwright left the room, ordering Cho to lock it after him.

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><p>Lisbon and her team had been locked inside Wainwright's office now for nearly three hours. Cho was asleep, book resting against his chest and moving up and down with each breath he took. Rigsby was demolishing his second box of donuts delivered by one of the security guards, whilst listening to his iPod. Van Pelt was sitting in the corner of the room, typing on her laptop.<p>

Lisbon, however, was just sitting, worrying. She was the only one who realized the danger they were in, though she didn't want to scare her team by telling them her fears. They deserved their last few hours of feeling safe. But she new too much to be so calm. If Red John wanted you dead, you were as good as dead from that moment.

He couldn't get to them now, that was true. But what the others didn't realize was that they couldn't be protected forever. And the minute they weren't protected, he would strike.

Her miserable thoughts were interrupted by a buzzing from her phone. Cho was startled awake by the noise, and Van Pelt look up from her laptop. Rigsby remained uninterrupted, his music too loud for the mobile to disrupt him.

Lisbon reached for the phone unenthusiastically, but started as she saw the caller image that popped up on the screen.

"It's Jane!" she cried, unable to contain her surprise and relief. Van Pelt and Cho both hurried over as she answered. Even Rigsby noticed the commotion and followed. Pulling his headphones out as he went.

"Jane, are you alright?" Lisbon asked.

"Sure, I'm fine. I'm on by way to CBI now. Can you make me a cup of tea?"

Lisbon couldn't help but smile. Typical Jane.

"I'd love to, but I'm locked in Wainwright's office" she replied.

"Oh, can you get Rigsby to then?" he asked, as though being locked in Wainwright's office was something that happened to her on a regular basis.

"Err, he's here too" Lisbon said.

"You're both locked in Wainwright's office?" he asked, confused.

"Yep, with Van Pelt and Cho as well" she informed him.

"Um, why?"

"Because he thinks Red John is going to try and kill us".

"Ahh. He's smart. It's not going to happen though" he replied, completely certain.

"Oh really, so Red John's just going to let you insult him on TV and not care" Lisbon practically growled into the phone. She was tired of acting as though she didn't care that her and the rest of her team would probably be dead pretty soon. Didn't Jane realize the situation he had put them in?

"Look, I'm nearly at CBI, can you just wait till I get there"

"Sure, if we're all still alive then" she had really had enough. She hung up and retreated to the far side of the room, looking out the window. Her team made no effort to speak to her, not wanting to irritate her more.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

Jane knocked on the door the office, and smiled cheerfully at Cho when he let him in.

Cho did not smile back.

"Hey guys, what've I missed?" Jane asked, but he got no reply.

Lisbon turned from her spot by the window and glared at him.

"So, how are you so sure Red John isn't going to kill us?" she practically spat at him.

"You could have at least pretended to be happy to see me. A 'hello, nice to see you're alive' maybe? I did just get kidnapped you know" Jane said, pretending to look upset. Then he smiled.

Lisbon just kept glaring at him. Jane stopped smiling.

"OK, OK, look" he said defensively, "if you were really in danger I would be worried, I promise. The thing is, you're not. Red John's not stupid. He knows I was forced to say those things so he would kill you. So that's exactly what he's not going to do. He'll probably kill the kidnappers instead."

Now that Lisbon thought about it, it did make sense. But she wasn't going to let Jane off that easily.

"But what if Red John isn't as smart as you think he is? Or what if he just decides to kill us anyway" she asked. She still wasn't convinced she and her team were safe.

"Trust me, OK. He's already punished me. He knows I've learnt my lesson" he said, completely convinced. "He's not going to bother doing it again".

Lisbon finally gave in, smiling.

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><p>The door was thrown open, and Wainwright walked in.<p>

"OK Jane, it looks like you were right after all. We've just had a call from Sac PD. Two men, face on the wall drawn in their blood. They've been identified as Caleb Nelson and Gary Ashton, criminals the CBI put away around 10 years ago. They were release a couple of days ago, and obviously wanted revenge. Nelson was apparently involved with Red John before he was locked up, which is probably how he knew about you. We're going to need you to come and identify them as your kidnappers."

"OK, lets go" he said as he made his way to the door.

Lisbon followed.

"Is it safe for us to go?" Van Pelt asked her nervously.

"This part of Jane's theory was right, so I think it's pretty safe to assume the rest of it'll be right too" Lisbon assured her.

Cho, Van Pelt and Rigsby followed her out with no further questions.

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><p>They drove in silence to the house, nobody sure what they should say. They all knew how Jane could be when he was faced with Red John, and they didn't want to upset him.<p>

Pretty soon they saw the flashing lights of police cars, and Lisbon pulled up behind one. Jane led the way into the house. He entered through the wide open front door, and walked down a small hall.

At the end of the hall, he opened the door that appeared to lead to a bedroom. On the wall in front of him was a dripping red face, smiling back at him. He turned to the right and saw two men, one lying across the bed and on in the floor, covered in blood.

"That's them" he said simply. He then left the room, but not without first noticing the toes of the man lying on the bed. His shoes had been removed, and his toes were painted with blood. He knew exactly what that meant. Red John was giving him a message. He was warning him.

'This time I left you and you're friends alone. Next time you might not be so lucky'.

The End


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